The Balancing Act: National Identity and Sovereignty for Britain in Europe

by Atsuko Ichijo

Overview

This is a careful examination of the historical formation of Britain and of key moments in its relations with the European powers. The author looks at the governing discourses of politicians, the mass media, and the British people. The rhetoric of sovereignty among political elites and the population at large is found to conceive of Britain's engagement with Europe as a zero-sum game. A second theme is the power of geographical images – island Britain – in feeding the idea of the British nation as by nature separate and autonomous. It follows that the EU is seen as 'other' and involvement in European decision-making tends to be viewed in terms of threat. This is naive, as nation- states are not autonomous, economically, militarily or politically. Only pooling sovereignty can maximize their national interests.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781845401153
Publisher:	Imprint Academic
Publication date:	07/01/2008
Series:	Societas Series
Pages:	151
Product dimensions:	5.52(w) x 7.96(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Atsuko Ichijo is Senior Researcher in European Studies at Kingston University.

Table of Contents

List of Tables     v
Preface   Dr John Hutchinson     vi
Acknowledgements     ix
Introduction     1
State and Nation Formation in Britain     8
Introduction     8
The formation of Britain as an independent state     11
Dominant discourses of nationhood     18
Concluding remarks     22
British Involvement with European Integration     23
Introduction     23
An overview of relations with Europe: events and issues     23
The British as reluctant Europeans: some explanation     23
Geopolitical conditions     29
Historical conditions: English experiences     31
Public attitudes towards Europe     34
Concluding remarks     41
Britain's Place in the World: Political Elites' View     43
Introduction     43
Representations of Britain     45
Britain as a global player     45
Britain the good - a moral force     46
Britain's relationship with the US and Europe     49
Representations of the EU     53
Negative representations of Europe     53
Positive views of Europe     55
Enlargement     58
The EU constitution     60
Concluding remarks     62
What Do the Media Make of Britain and Europe?     64
Introduction     64
Nice Summit     65
The representations of Britain     65
The relationship between Britain and the EU     67
The representations of the EU     68
The euro launch     71
The representations of Britain     71
The relationship with the EU     74
The representations of the EU     75
Nations, nation-states and their sovereignty     78
The EU constitution (The Treaty for Establishing a Constitution for Europe)     79
Concluding remarks     83
What Do 'Real' People Think?: The Survey     85
Introduction     85
Closeness to various groups     86
Patterns of identification     89
British identity     92
European Identity     98
Conceptions of Identity     103
Concluding remarks     105
What Do 'Real' People Think?: The Interviews     107
Introduction     107
Claim of lack of knowledge/interest     109
Representations of Britain and the British     111
Britain as an Island     111
Britain: caught up in history     113
Britain as a bridge between Europe and the US     114
Representations of the EU     115
Alienation     115
Appreciation     118
The euro     121
The euro: against     121
The euro: for     123
European identity     125
European as opposed to American/rest of world     126
European as opposed to British     127
Concluding remarks     128
Conclusion     130
Bibliography     133
Appendix     138
Index     150